Online video use decreased month-to-month, but increased year-to-year in December, according to Nielsen data, and just like social media, the Web video trend does not seem to be going away anytime soon.  Large companies including Google with their acquisition of YouTube in 2006 and Yahoo with the addition of Maven Networks video service in 2008 have jumped into the video realm, and AOL is now taking part.

AOL beefed up their Web video efforts on Monday, with the purchase of the Web video firm, StudioNow, Inc. for $36.5 million, according to the Washington Post.

AOL owns 80 different sites, covering everything from sports to politics, and the new acquisition is in direct response to the increased demand for videos by both consumers and advertisers.

This new acquisition should provide additional content to AOL sites, but also additional revenue opportunities for them.  According to eMarketer, companies are expected to increase spending on video advertising from $734 million in 2008 to $5.2 billion by 2014.